Since winning Top Chef, Michael opened ink. on Melrose in Los Angeles (some might call him a "Duke of Melrose" in his own right), and ink.sack. If you've never been, it's a must-visit for any L.A. trip and its shareable small dishes are great for a group. (It doesn't hurt that the cocktails are delicious too.)

But I digress...

Michael reveals to Food & Wine about how he got started in the business, giving thanks to older brother, and Season 6 finalist, Bryan Voltaggio: “My first job was bussing tables at the local Holiday Inn where my brother was a sous-chef. I spent some time chopping vegetables, and one day my brother told me to come in the next day in a chef uniform. When I came in the executive chef started yelling at me, ‘What is this, Halloween?’ But in the end I got to cook.”